paper 2 Flashcards
Module A: Context
Age of Discovery
● Period of exploration
● 15th - 18th century
● Romantasise indigenous (slaves)
● Setting of island in the tempest
● European trading routes and land
● Led to new world views and ideas
● New land therefore new food and animals for trading
Modue A: Context
Providentialism
● All events on earth are God
● God is incharge of all
● Power of church
● Prospero controlling nature = God
Module A: Context
Christian Humanism
● Mainstream belief
● Human die for their sins
● The tempest shifting values
● Miranda dad = God
● Forgiveness and mercy
Module A: Context
Colonisation and exploration in the 18th Centenary
● What island would be as a utopia
● Caliban = cannibal
○ Rape miranda or just island population
● 120 years after Columbas
● Native inhabitant
● Europein views of indigenous
○ Prospero treatment of Caliban
○ Nature vs nurture
Module A: Context
Edwardian Language
● Transformative effect
● New cultures
● New obsession, stories beyond England
● Reflect social, culture, political
● People in power speak in verse
● Prose for people with less power
● Biblical language
Module A: Context
Devine right of kings
● Political legit of monarchy
● Nobels are more important
● People who arn’t important can be freely abused
● Natures disregard for right of kings (shift in power)
● Jacobean
● Prospero = God above kings
● Language
○ Slave = devil
○ Biblical illusion
● Key to monarchy at time
Module A: Context
Great chain of beings
● Hierarchy of things created by god
● Biblical hierarchy
● The tempest challenges and aligns
● Prospero is God because he can alter and change fate
● Talking to god
Module A: TT Context
Textual Context
● Written by William Shakespeare around 1610-1611.
● Considered one of Shakespeare’s final plays.
● Set on a remote island, blending elements of romance, comedy, and drama.
● Reflects themes of power, colonialism, revenge, and forgiveness.
● Inspired by accounts of shipwrecks and exploration during the Age of Discovery.
● Features characters like Prospero, Miranda, Ariel, and Caliban.
● Often interpreted as Shakespeare’s farewell to the stage.
● Exhibits Shakespeare’s mastery of language and exploration of human nature.
Module A: TT Context
Exploration and Colonization
○ European powers were engaged in extensive exploration and colonization efforts around the globe, including the Americas, Africa, and Asia.
○ This period marked the height of European expansionism and the establishment of overseas empires.
Module A: TT Context
Scientific Revolution
○ The Scientific Revolution was underway, with advancements in astronomy, physics, and mathematics challenging traditional understandings of the cosmos and leading to the development of new scientific methodologies.
Module A: TT Context
Political Intrigue
○ In England, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I had recently ended, and King James I (who commissioned Shakespeare’s acting company) was on the throne.
○ The political landscape was characterized by intrigue, power struggles, and efforts to consolidate royal authority.
Module A: TT Context
Religious Conflicts
○ Religious tensions persisted, both domestically in England and across Europe.
○ The Protestant Reformation had led to enduring divisions within Christianity, with conflicts between Protestant and Catholic factions shaping political and social dynamics.
Module A: TT Context
Cultural Renaissance
○ England was experiencing a cultural renaissance, with flourishing artistic, literary, and theatrical movements.
○ Shakespeare himself was at the height of his career, producing many of his most celebrated works during this period.
Module A: TT Context
Social Changes
○ Societal changes were underway, including shifts in economic structures, urbanization, and the emergence of a burgeoning middle class.
○ These changes influenced cultural production and societal norms.
Module A: TT Context
Global Trade
○ The expansion of global trade routes facilitated by exploration and colonization had far-reaching economic implications, transforming patterns of commerce, wealth distribution, and cultural exchange.
Module A: HS Context
Textual Context
● “Hag-Seed” is a novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 2016.
● It’s a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.”
● Atwood’s novel explores themes of power, revenge, and redemption.
● The protagonist, Felix Phillips, is a theater director seeking revenge after being betrayed by his colleagues.
● Set in a contemporary Canadian context, the story delves into issues of politics, censorship, and creativity.
● Atwood incorporates elements of magic realism, adding depth to the narrative.
● The novel reflects on the transformative power of art and the complexities of human relationships.
Module A: HS Context
Literary Trends
○ “Hag-Seed” is part of the Hogarth Shakespeare series, which reimagines Shakespeare’s plays by contemporary authors.
○ This reflects a trend in literature where classic works are revisited and reinterpreted through modern lenses.
Module A
Key Themes
Imprisonment → Freedom
Power → Weakness
Authority → Vunrability/Opression
Foregiviness → Revenge
Module A: Character relation
Prospero and Felix
○ Both are ousted from positions of power by betrayal: Prospero, the Duke of Milan, is overthrown by his brother Antonio, while Felix is betrayed by his assistant Tony.
○ They seek revenge through manipulation and cunning rather than direct confrontation.
○ Both are highly intelligent and use their skills to orchestrate elaborate schemes.
○ Despite their thirst for revenge, they also demonstrate compassion and vulnerability, particularly in their relationships with Miranda (Prospero’s daughter) and Miranda (the girl Felix teaches in prison).
Module A: Character relation
Ariel and Anne-Marie
○ Both serve as loyal assistants to their respective masters, Prospero and Felix.
○ They possess magical or theatrical abilities that aid in carrying out their masters’ plans.
○ There’s a sense of ambiguity in their loyalty; while they serve their masters faithfully, they also seek freedom and independence.
Module A: Character relation
Caliban and Leggs
○ Both are marginalized characters with a complex relationship with their masters.
○ They are seen as “othered” by society due to their physical appearance and perceived lack of intelligence.
○ Despite their mistreatment, there are moments where they display cunning and a desire for autonomy.
○ Their characters challenge societal norms and stereotypes, prompting reflection on issues of power, race, and class.
Module A: Character relation
Miranda (in both texts)
○ Both are portrayed as innocent and pure characters, untouched by the corruption of the world around them.
○ They serve as symbols of hope and redemption for their respective father figures, Prospero and Felix.
○ Their interactions with other characters often reveal deeper truths about human nature and the capacity for forgiveness.
Module A: Appropriating a text
Metatextuality
● Having ‘The Tempest’ within Hag Seed allows Atwood to show the Jacobean era in a post-modern context.
● Shows the rejection of values and principles of post-modern, whist critiquing on those revealed in The Tempest
● As the trademark of post-modernism it shows the aspect of existence
● Aim of reflecting on both texts
Module A: Appropriating a text
Intertextuality
● Hag Seed is an appropriation of The Tempest
● Capturing the essence of of a story or theme but knowingly changing the language to maintain relevance
● Maintain the original authors intention of the design of the text
● Adapting for entertainment purposes, using relevant elements to a modern audience
● Reveal
● Supports
● Shifts a new point, idiology or stereotype
● Enduring values of certain themes: power, authority, and human connections
○ Values → change over time, dependant on specific context
○ Human Connections → transcend time
■ Humanity → behavior, motivations, emotions, values
■ Change → what values in The Tempest have …
■ Remain Sedetry → some
■ Dissapear
